Un flic

Motto

"The only feelings mankind has ever inspired in policemen are those of indifference and derision..." (Eugène-François Vidocq)

Plot

After a raid on a seaside bank in which a cashier is killed, four Paris gangsters flee with only part of the loot and with one of the men, Marc, fatally wounded. They put him in a private clinic and disperse. Their leader Simon owns a night club which is visited regularly by the police detective Coleman, to keep an eye on Simon and to pick up any information he can. Coleman also hopes to see the beautiful Cathy, who is the mistress of Simon but spends occasional afternoons with Coleman in a hotel room. Fearing that Marc will be traced, Simon sends Cathy into the clinic, dressed as a nurse, to give the dying man a lethal injection.

Simon's next project is to lift a large quantity of heroin being taken by a rival gang on the night express from Paris to Lisbon. From a helicopter he is lowered onto the speeding train in the empty country south of Bordeaux, knocks out the courier with chloroform and is successfully winched up with the loot. An informer told Coleman that the operation was planned and catching Louis, another member of Simon's gang, Coleman gets the names out of him. After setting a tap on Simon's telephone, Coleman then he goes to the club and obliquely lets Simon know that the police are onto him. Simon immediately rings the fourth member of the gang, Paul, to warn him. Tracing the call, Coleman races to the home of Paul, who shoots himself to avoid arrest. Simon then rings Cathy to come and collect him. As he emerges onto an empty street carrying an attaché case full of heroin, Coleman draws a gun and challenges him. When Simon seems to be reaching inside his coat for a gun, Coleman shoots him dead as Cathy watches helplessly from the getaway car.

Cast and crew

The crew included Sophie Tati (editing department) and Pierre Tati (second assistant director), the son and daughter of Jacques Tati.